|
|
|
|
|
Adiel Boboye as the boy with wings, Pictures: Jake Bush The Boy With Wings Birmingham Rep **** Sir Lenny Henry's children's book has taken flight to land on stage at Birmingham Rep in a family friendly, fast paced and sparkling adaptation from Arvind Ethan David. The opening might be a little wordy for the little ones but once the action starts with three ghostly parrots? Toucans? . . . who knows, let's just say when three wing flapping, colourful, bird puppets appear with the intention of frightening Tunde, the youngsters are hooked. Nothing like the hint of violence to grab the interest of youngsters, not that our birds were violent, mind - inquisitive, argumentative, sarcastic perhaps, but nightmares are what you make of them, and that is all they were – figments of a troubled imagination. That was perhaps the fault of Tunde's mum Ruth, who has brought her 12-year-old son up to be pretty well scared witless of anything outside, and only being safe sitting in front of a screen in his home playing computer games, which, incidentally, is also the considered ideal habitat of most teenagers, but that is another story. Adiel Boboye, in his stage debut, gives Tunde a sense of what it is to be a 12-year-old. No longer a child, not yet a teenager and with adulthood on a distant horizon. It is the start of that coming-of-age journey everyone goes through – except his journey is . . . well different, more fantasy than common or garden adolescence we might say. We discover he has been bullied at school, only a mention in passing, and we find he feels different and has found it hard to fit in, but he has now found two friends and is growing up and finding his wings . . . literally as it turns out. Mia Jerome brings a nice layer of humour as Ruth, the mum figure, protecting her child from . . . well that would be telling. She is the steadying influence in his life.
Millie Elkins-Green as Kylie, Mia Jerome
as Ruth, Adiel Boboye as Tunde and Samir Mahat as Dev Tunde's friends are Dev, played by Samir Mahat and, wheelchair bound Kylie played by Millie Elkins-Green. The trio are the friends for life, one for all, all and for one, the sort of gang you find 12-year-olds create for themselves, doing all the wonderful and sometimes stupid things we file away as experience. And into their world of school, play and computer games comes Juba, a talking cat, brilliantly played, or should that be purred, by Jessica Murrain with some lovely comic moments and even some panto style sparring with the audience. Juba is from the planet Furline which is populated by cats. She has come to earth to find a sort of fledgling of the king of the nearby planet of Aviline which is populated by birds, at which point, as we enter the realms of an intergalactic war - may the furs, or maybe feathers be with you - you realise we are in the midst of a fantasy tale, confirmed when Stephan Boyce turns up with his wings folded as Aaven, or King Aaven to give him his Sunday name as the leader of the Avilinians. The book deals with racism, bullying and adoption in its own way, subjects which the play drifts over with a mention but no more. Tunde's father, he has always been told, is a salesman on a business trip, a trip which seems to have lasted for 11 years, but the question of apparent paternal abandonment is dealt with in clever comedy in a few sentences.
Jessica Murrain purring along in feline fashion as Juba Kylie's wheelchair doesn't even get a mention, which perhaps in its way served its purpose. To a child seeing another supposed child in a wheelchair without comment or explanation makes it seem normal, nothing odd or special, to a child it is just Kylie, and she happens to use a wheelchair.s Some of the humour might be lost on the young ones but the pace will keep them happy, a good age range would be around seven to 12, and the main thrust seemed to be the war between cats and birds which had been going on since time began and, with the bird army poised to attack the bird planet with a huge star force, the conflict is about to turn nasty. But it could all be ended by King Aaven and Juba, who it turns out is Queen of the cats, along with Tunde, with the trio returning to stand between the two armies and negotiate peace. No guarantees but at least a start on the road to an end of hostilities. There is infectious enthusiasm from a wonderful cast and although not all the rap numbers, and there were plenty, were clear, the meaning certainly was. Laura McEwen's set and Gillian Tan's lighting and video are simple and effective and director Daniel Bailey keeps up a cracking pace to produce a show that can be enjoyed by the entire family. To 30-08-25. Roger Clarke 21-12-25 And from a teenager The boy with wings play is based on the book by Sir Lenny henry adapted by Arvind Ethan David and directed by Daniel bailey to create a fun magical story for all the family to enjoy. It follows Tunde Wilkinson (played by Adiel Boboye) a timid boy whose mother, played by Mia Jerome makes it her mission to keep him safe from the dangers of the world and she is successful until one day he sneaks out with friends Dev (Samir Mahat) and wheelchair bound Kylie (Millie Elkins-Green) and to his surprise sprouts wings. . Like father like son, Stephen Boyce as King Aaven He is then whisked away by the talking cat Juba, played by Jessica Murrain, who it turns out is Queen of the cats on the planet Furline, only to be found by his real father King Aaven, played by Stephen Boyce, king of the birds on the planet Aviline. The two planets are engaged in an ancient war in outer space. The future of both birds and cats rest in their hands, or paws and claws. There isn’t a dull moment in this play and so it is amazing for keeping young kids occupied. Overall I would recommend this play this play for families with kids aged 6-12. Hallam Clarke |
|
|
|
